SECP sets up modern centre to combat cyber threats

Mettis Global reported that the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has set up a modern Security Operations Centre to protect its critical information assets and identify cyber threats early. The centre will keep constant watch over the commission's networks, endpoints and servers, as well as its private cloud platforms. NADRA chairman Lieutenant General Muhammad Munir Afsar inaugurated the centre, with SECP Chairman Dr Kabir Ahmed Sidhu and other senior officials in attendance.

Karandaaz Pakistan supplies the funding and serves as the delivery partner for the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Inara Technologies, Pakistan, enables the project, while REWTERZ provides support under a Managed Security Services Provider agreement. The centre will follow internationally accepted norms and widely used good practices from around the world.

Separately, Dr Sidhu walked the NADRA chairman through the commission's IT reform agenda, including infrastructure upgrades and the use of artificial intelligence. The commission also intends to link the security centres of capital market institutions (CMIs) under a single framework covering the sector, where threat information would be exchanged and incident responses coordinated.